Reviews

The Eyre Affair is the first novel by Jasper Fforde, and the first in the Thursday Next series. Thursday Next is a SpecOps 27 operative, a LiteraTec, who deals in crimes against literature. The novel is set in 1985, when England has been at war with Russia over Crimea for some 130 years, time travel is not uncommon and Wales has seceded from UK and is a Republic. Fforde includes delightfully ridiculous names and the inventions of Thursday's uncle, Mycroft Next are quite wonderful. I am glad I made the effort to read Jane Eyre before reading this. Reading this novel was unadulterated pleasure and I look forward starting on the next in the series, Lost in a Good Book.

Melissa

I really enjoyed this book. I originally read "The Eyre Affair" because I am a fan of "Jane Eyre." Honestly, after reading the short summary on the back of the book, I thought it would be a bit too silly. After reading the first chapter, I found that it was silly, but in a very intelligent way. I couldn't put the book down. I have read the first three books and am putting off reading the fourth, only because I know that there is not a fifth book out. I rarely find a series that I can't put down. I was first intrigued by the same things that everyone else seems to be saying. Upon further thought, I think my favourite thing about these books are the little details that Jasper Fforde has put into the books. It is the little things that make you realize what a creative genious he is. How does one person think of so many ideas and put them together in such a way that make such a brilliant series of books? I applaud him and look forward to more books written by Mr. Fforde.

Katherine

I enjoyed reading "The Eyre Affair" emensely. It's novel that contains an element of just about every genre of fiction: fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery, etc, so intermingled that the reader is never in danger of being bored. The wordplay is a joy and catching all the literary allusions the novel contains made me feel very smart/educated indeed! I've been recommending this novel to my friends, and wait with bated breath until I have the opportunity to read the novels that come after it.

Nancy

I loved this book. I grew up loving Nancy Drew books, and I love this book with a strong, female detective lead character. Having read the next two books in this series as well, I am constantly amazed at the imagination and creativity of Jasper Fforde to create this other world, similar to our own, but as the story goes, it gets more and more different. Also, as an avid reader I love all of the allusions to other literary characters and works as well as his extreme knowledge of grammar and the English language and how he created this whole world so involved in it. I've talked about it so much my husband has even added to to the stack of books he'd like to read.

Twila R.

What an amazing yarn! Put together a perfectly flawed heroine, her time travelling fugitive father, her madcap zany inventor uncle, a deliciously evil villain, a big-brother conglomerate jerk named Jack Schitt, an alternate universe 1985 England still embroiled in the Crimean War where literature is more popular than sports are in our universe, (DEEP BREATH), Edward Rochester (from "Jane Eyre"), a zany mystery, and a cloned pet dodo named Pickwick and you have one hilarious tale!

Jasper Fforde uses his movie-maker's eye and imagination to weave a story that combines mystery, satire, pop culture, Python-esque humor all mixed with a little sci-fi-fantasy.

Think Douglas Adams meets Jane Austen meets Monty Python meets Agatha Christie. The book weaves in and out of classic novels like Dickens's "Martin Chuzzelwit" and Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre". It's not necessary to have read any of these classics, as Mr. Fforde gently explains the details you need to know. But if you have read them, it makes the inside jokes all the funnier.

Hard to explain or categorize, but once you read it, it all makes perfectly hilarious sense! A definite GREAT READ!

mark conroy

witty intellegent

Rachel

One of the more enjoyable books that I have read all year! The author's site says that at least two more books are planned in this series.

Louise Cummings

An amazing book! So believable, yet so fantastic. Jasper Fforde has a wonderful imagination and such a credible way of passing it on to the reader.

Thursday is a remarkable character. This is the type of book that has you come away wanting desperately to be the lead character, or at the least, living in her world.

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